The ruinous state of the lonely ruins scattered throughout the country can be attributed to many reasons. Perhaps what is most concerned is the abject apathy of the government involved towards the ancient sites and their preservation. The indiscriminate demolition of our heritage buildings would be a good example. According to local media, between 2008 and 2018, more than six hundred historic buildings were demolished across the country. Many of these buildings were Mughal-era structures built in ancient Dhaka through the grand of the court.
Example: the well-known Amligola Haweli built at the time Mughal which was absolutely razed. And then there are the structures that have been illegally occupied through land hoarders. These sites become department stores and others become narcotics hideouts. Without care or preservation measures, these structures deteriorate over time.
Unfortunately, even national archaeological sites that have been identified as World Heritage sites through UNESCO are not covered by the relevant authorities. Take the case of the mythical 1300-year-old Somapura Mahavihara, located in Paharpur, Naogaon, for example. This former seat of Buddhist wisdom is one of five wonderful Viharas that come with Nalanda, Vikramashila, Odantapura and Jaggadala, the last also located in Bangladesh, while the other 3 are in the Indian state of Bihar.
Designated by UNESCO in 1985 as a World Heritage Site, Somapura Mahavihara attracts thousands of visitors every day. Unfortunately, it doesn’t attract as much government attention as it seems. The deterioration of the conditions of the place attests to the indifferent, if not flagrant, remedy of the government in question.
As a component of the “South Asian Tourism Infrastructure Development Project” funded through the Asian Development Bank, the Decompotor of Archaeology (DoA) undertook a renewal and polishing initiative from March 2014 to December 2016. The main temple and surrounding spaces had to be renovated. A separate staircase has also been built to allow the site to be safely climbed and lowered.
Once the renovations were completed, more visitors were attracted: revenue increased considerably. A report published through this journal, titled “Somapura Mahavihara Loses Its Shine,” showing the doA figures, suggests that “revenue in 2014-15 and 2015-16 was approximately Tk 27 lakh. In 2016-17, the source of income rose to Tk 72 lakh. Array and above up to Tk 77.25 lakh the following year. In 2018-19, sales were 76.60 Tk lakh.”
However, three years after the renovations, things began to collapse. Salinity, a persistent challenge facing the site, riveters. And the exterior staircase that was erected to facilitate the movement of tourists is destructive to the site. The report discussed above quoted Swadhin Sen, professor of archaeology at Jahangirnagar University, saying: “When we communicate about the conservation of an archaeological site, we mean that the site will have to be majority as it is, which means converting the appearance of an archaeological site. is prohibited by law. A lot of visitors use the stairs to climb the main temple. This damages the 1,300-year-old historic architecture. “As a result, revenues fell to 56 lakh Tk in 2019-20.
Worse, some of the monastery’s mythical terracotta plaques were removed from the renovation. And of those left, only 17 are well on display in the Paharpur Museum, while, according to the newspaper’s report, the rest was stored without the appropriate measures.
The poor quality paintings in Mahavihara call into question the quality of the renovation. Around the world, many preservation allocations are effectively implemented each year. These renovations last for decades. So, what about Paharpur? The answer remains shrouded in a mystery, as one ping-pong authority is guilty of another: the DoA’s regional director (Rajshahi and Rangpur) reported that the assignment was controlled directly through the DoA and that “local officials played no role in assignments in addition to partial follow-up,” as indicated in the Daily Star report.
And Somapura Mahavihara does not suffer. Adnan MS Fakir, director of Finding Bangladesh, an independent documentary series highlighting the hidden gems of Bangladesh’s rich archaeological heritage, suggests that there are many other ancient sites that require care and repair. The list includes: “Chanchra Jora Shiv Temples, Jessore; Abhaynagar 11 Temple Complex, Jessore; Dhopadi Temple (Moth), Jhenaidaha; Shyamnagar Rajbari, Satkhira; Shonabaria Temple, Kolaroa, Khulna; Rayerkathi Rajbari and temple complex, Pirohajpur and Rajbari. “
Thus, the heritage of our country, its rich history and its heritage fade gradually, in full sun and darkness, without worries and, as in the case of Somapura Mahavihara, despite the “renewal”.
While the remnants of the excellent beyond our ancestors bear the marks of the ruthless remedy we inflict on them, it is time for us to take steps to save what is left of it. The applicable government must be informed of the inefficient renovation of Somupura Mahavihara and roll up its arms to launch significant projects to save our heritage sites. An accurate list, an inspection and a well-crafted strategic plan to protect our archaeological masterpieces are essential for the preservation of our history.
Since all historical sites are now closed to the public due to the pandemic, this is a smart time to identify sites and identify those that require immediate attention. It would be logistically difficult to publish an effective and sustainable renewal allocation at all sites at the same time, so such allocations can be made at various stages, depending on the status of heritage sites across the country. Partnerships may also be undertaken with donor partners, I/NGOs, the personal sector to mobilize resources for this purpose.
Our heritage sites are our pride, our roots. If we allow these sites to deteriorate, we would necessarily facilitate the corruption of our identity as a people.
Tasneem Tayeb is a columnist for The Daily Star.
His nickname on Twitter is: @TayebTasneem